


Shoot to Score

by Alecto



Series: Fictober 2020 [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Archery, Athletes, Awkward Crush, Basketball, Fictober 2020, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28389492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alecto/pseuds/Alecto
Summary: Yuugi called it an "obsession." Jounouchi disagreed, thank you very much.In which Jounouchi—a junior member of the university basketball club—nurses an unfortunate crush on the archery team's hot but haughty captain.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Series: Fictober 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2007610
Comments: 26
Kudos: 105





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober 2020 Day 5 prompt: "unacceptable, try again" 

"Unacceptable!" The condemnation rang clear across the gallery, probably loud enough to be clearly heard from the other side of the university sports center. "Try again!"

Arrows whizzed across the range, accompanied by the twang of bowstrings, but the shots and the targets were not what captivated Jounouchi. 

He smashed his face against the glass barrier, trying to catch a glimpse of the tall figure stalking behind the line of archers notching their next arrows. Yuugi's wild hair was the first thing that caught his attention as his friend rose from his kneeling position to draw his longbow. His eyes darted across the rest of the assembled archers dressed in identical uniforms of white kimonos and black hakamas before locating his target. There, right behind a girl with lavender hair pulled back in a high ponytail, stood the team captain, tall and haughty. His vivid blue eyes still pierced like a knife from this distance.

That was what he really came to see each time. Jounouchi called it an unfortunate crush. Yuugi disagreed and claimed it was an obsession. 

The girls all swooned over the team captain. Tall, handsome, and rich, if the rumors were true. The very definition of "high specs." But Jounouchi also saw the other side: the tyrant who ruled the shooting range with an iron fist. 

Still hot as hell, though, in Jounouchi's book. 

He peeked at his watch. Ten minutes until practice ended. The captain always hung around afterward to practice on his own while everyone cleaned up and left. Jounouchi wouldn't have to wait much longer to see him shoot. 

In the meanwhile, he watched Yuugi, pride swelling in his chest as he let loose arrow after arrow. They all hit their intended target, even if they weren't bullseyes. The one time Yuugi did score a bullseye, Jounouchi couldn't contain his gleeful whoop. For that, he could feel the captain trying to eviscerate him from across the range with his death glare. 

Finally, the captain called an end to the practice. Impatiently, Jounouchi watched as the team went through its end-of-practice rituals, methodically unstringing their bows and tidying the shooting gallery before the captain dismissed them. When the gallery emptied, the captain began to prepare for his solo practice session. Given his height, he wielded the tallest bow on the team. Having done some light internet research, Jounouchi knew that stringing and drawing it was no trivial matter. Archery took a decent amount of upper body strength, enough to give Jounouchi and his basketball teammates a run for their money. 

Pushing off the glass divider, he decided to move closer for a better view. Yuugi messaged him while he headed toward the shooting gallery. 

> _Do you want to go home together? Or are you sticking around to stalk Kaiba-san?_

He tapped out two quick replies in a row. 

> _Not stalking. I just think his shooting style's cool._
> 
> _Yeah, let's stop by Anzu's workplace on the way home._

He silenced his phone before slipping it into his pocket. It vibrated with another message, but he didn't check it. The hall's shoji door had been left open, so all he had to do was slip off his sneakers and quietly sneak inside. He lingered at the back of the gallery, careful to stay out of sight and not make a sound. 

More than a meter ahead at the shooting line, the captain, Kaiba, had lowered himself into a sideways kneeling position that put his back to Jounouchi. Jounouchi watched with bated breath as long fingers lined up two arrows, head to tail. Gracefully, Kaiba rose to his feet, widening his stance, and tucked the second arrow between his archery glove's pinky and ring finger. Head held up and looking forward, he pinched the bowstring and the remaining arrow's fletch between his thumb and index finger and raised the tall bow overhead. Kaiba pushed the bow forward, drawing it in one fluid motion that emphasized his shoulders' broadness. He held the position for several beats, yet his arms didn't visibly strain from the effort of keeping it drawn.

Jounouchi had watched Yuugi do this a million times through high school, and while he admired his friend's practiced form, there was something about the way that Kaiba moved that stole the air from Jounouchi's lungs. He empathized with the bowstring, drawn so taut it might snap.

Then, Kaiba let loose the arrow. The snap of the bowstring reverberated through the hollow of Jounouchi's chest like Kaiba had reached inside him with his long fingers and strummed his heartstrings. The bow spun in Kaiba's hand, performing a breathtaking arc as it pivoted almost 180 degrees in his grip. Kaiba's shot struck the bullseye at the other end of the range, but the beauty of his form pierced Jounouchi's heart as sharply as any arrow. 

Without hesitating, Kaiba notched his second arrow and lined up the next shot. Raise, draw, hold, and fire. The second arrow struck as true as the first, piercing through the target with a pop that reminded Jounouchi of the firework poppers he used to play with as a kid. Painstakingly, Kaiba returned both hands to rest on his hips; his long black bow now tucked horizontally at his side.

Whatever Jounouchi expected Kaiba to do next, it wasn't to straighten and turn to face him near the gallery's door. His sharp gaze pinned Jounouchi in place. Sweat broke under Jounouchi's collar. Kaiba said nothing, which left Jounouchi scrambling for words to fill the awkward silence.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to bother ya. Uh, I'm just looking for my friend, Yuugi. He's, uh, on the team," rambled Jounouchi. He could tell he was already making a fool of himself in front of the archer.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "Yuugi. You mean Mutou, the first year."

Jounouchi nodded.

"As you can see, the rest of the team is done for the day," said Kaiba, his voice as smooth and cold as a sheet of Arctic ice. "And you're a shitty liar. It hasn't escaped my notice that you've been hanging around the shooting gallery these past few weeks."

Having been caught red-handed, Jounouchi flushed and dropped his gaze to the warm wooden floor underneath. His panicked face reflected back at him from the well-polished wood. 

"Like I said, Yuugi's on the team," he insisted. But the excuse sounded flimsy to his own ear. 

Crossing the room, Kaiba stowed his bow on the rack before approaching Jounouchi. Up close, he wasn't that much taller, but his physical presence towered. Tracing his gaze up the length of Kaiba's body, Jounouchi lingered briefly on his chest, wondering how muscular he was underneath his clothes, before snapping up to meet his sharp eyes. 

"And you've been watching me," stated Kaiba as he folded his arms over his chest.

Jounouchi groped for a suitable excuse. Anything. He was thinking about joining the team. Double down on his association with Yuugi. Insult the other boy for thinking too highly of himself. Instead, all he could do was pick up the truth and lob it like it was a grenade without a pin.

"I like your shooting," he blurted. As soon as the words left his mouth, heat flooded his face and neck. Fuck, why did that sound like a confession? 

When Kaiba didn't respond, Jounouchi continued digging his grave straight to the earth's core. "Everything about the way you move, the way you line up your shots and draw your bow, it's... Amazing. Beautiful. I've never seen anything like it, and I've tagged along to watch all of Yuugi's competitions. It's like watching art in motion. Pretty sure it's, like, the coolest thing I've ever seen."

At last, Jounouchi managed to wrestle back some control of his mouth and tongue. He clamped his jaw shut, but there were no more words left to swallow. He'd already spilled his guts at Kaiba's feet. Now, he wanted nothing more than to run from the room and seek death's sweet embrace in some forgotten ditch, but he couldn't. Not when Kaiba's intense blue gaze kept him pinned like a butterfly in a shadowbox. 

A moment later, Kaiba broke eye contact and glanced toward the wall to his left, which was decorated with calligraphy prints and award certificates. He seemed almost stunned by Jounouchi's words. A faint pink crept up his elegant swan neck. 

Was he flattered? Jounouchi could only hope so.

Either that or Kaiba was about five seconds away from trying to kick his ass. 

They stood in awkward silence for a while longer, their eyes meeting briefly before darting away again. Several times, Kaiba faced him and opened his mouth to speak, before shutting it without a word and looking away again. Jounouchi almost wished Kaiba had ignored him and returned to his practice. Almost. This awkward interaction flooded him with hope, fueling his stupid, hopeless crush. 

"Jounouchi-kun, are you ready to go?"

Clasping a hand to his chest, he jumped almost a meter at the sound of Yuugi's voice. "Jeeze, Yuugi, a little warning next time."

Yuugi's eyes darted back and forth between him and Kaiba, no doubt trying to read the situation and figure out if he needed to save Jounouchi from himself, which he did. 

Jounouchi required a dire rescue, please. He tried to psychically project his need to his best friend. 

_Please save me from myself._

"Kaiba-san, can I introduce you to my roommate, Jounouchi Katsuya?" Yuugi smiled sweetly—too sweetly. 

Thanks for nothing, Yuugi. 

Although Jounouchi almost melted when he saw Kaiba silently mouth the syllables of his name to himself. Okay, so maybe his friend wasn't a complete fucking traitor to Jounouchi's dignity. 

"And Jounouchi-kun, this is the captain of the archery team, Kaiba Seto." Yuugi's eyes shone smugly where his mouth did not. 

Seto. Jounouchi had a given name now. Yuugi had only ever referred to him as "Kaiba-san" in conversation. Sure, he could have asked Yuugi for the captain's full name at any time, but doing so felt like an embarrassing admission of defeat.

Once again, Kaiba speared him with a piercing look and smirked. Unlike Jounouchi, he'd recovered his composure long ago. "Are you interested in joining the archery team, Jounouchi?"

The sound of his name from Kaiba's lips stunned him for so long that Yuugi answered in his place. "Oh, no, Jounouchi-kun's already on the basketball team. But he's always there to cheer me on at my competitions. Plus, basketball practice ends just a little while before ours, so he likes to come to pick me up and go home together."

Why he gave their life story, though, only Yuugi could say. Later at home, he'd tell Jounouchi that he'd done it for his sake. Rip off the bandaid so that Jounouchi could stop lingering at the edge of their practice like a creep. Jounouchi would take issue with that last part.

Kaiba cast an appraising look up and down Jounouchi's body. "Basketball, huh?"

Jounouchi officially petitioned the earth to open up and swallow him whole. Just put him out of his misery now. Instead, he nodded again in confirmation. 

With that, Kaiba turned away and went to retrieve his bow from the rack, signaling the end of the conversation. Jounouchi felt both relieved and disappointed. Yuugi shot him a sympathetic look and patted his shoulder.

"Thank you for your hard work, Kaiba-san," called Yuugi as he backed out to the door and bowed in the entryway.

Head hanging, Jounouchi shuffled after his friend. God, he could never show his face at the archery range again. He'd made a complete ass of himself, as expected. 

Yet as he crammed himself back into his sneakers, Kaiba called his name. Glancing over his shoulder, he met the other boy's eyes from where he stood at the shooting line. 

"As long as you keep quiet and don't disturb the team, you can watch practice from the waiting area next time. It wouldn't be bad for them to shoot in front of an audience from time to time." Kaiba's expression wasn't particularly inviting as he said the words, but something about the way he held his shoulders hinted at a touch of nerves. Nor did it change the fact that it was an invitation to return.

A wide grin split Jounouchi's face in half as his heart soared. "Thanks, Kaiba. I can't wait."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fictober 2020 Day 6 prompt: "that was impressive" 

> _Nii-san, are you coming home for dinner?_

After adjusting the strap of his duffel bag and quiver, Kaiba moved to the side of the hallway to respond to Mokuba's inquiry. He ignored the looks that several passing students threw his way. They were mostly curious about his unstrung bow, currently stowed in its protective slipcover, leaning against the wall next to him. Most students also knew him by reputation, whether it was his attitude or sport, that he stopped receiving direct questions this late in the school year.

> _On my way now._

He pocketed his phone and picked up his bow, ready to finally head home after a long Saturday of practice. But as he turned toward the exit, a flash of familiar gold caught his attention. He'd stopped outside the indoor gymnasium. Through the bay of clear doors and windowed walls, he watched a group of boys wearing uniform jerseys zip around the court. 

Before he knew it, his feet had taken him to the nearest entrance. He hesitated for a second before pushing the door open and slipping into the gym. Inside, the AC had been turned on full blast. Unlike the shooting range, which was designed to dampen sound and cultivate the mindful atmosphere essential for kyudo, the gymnasium's sole purpose was to capture noise and blast it back twice as loud. The high-pitched squeaks and squeals of sneakers sliding across the floor, the basketball's rhythmic dribble, and how the players shouted as they bounced from one end of the court to the other almost overwhelmed Kaiba. 

He spotted Jounouchi in the thick of the pack, sporting a bright red armband, and currently in possession of the ball. He dribbled the ball deftly back and forth between his spread legs, eyes darting to and fro in search of an open teammate. An opposing team member wearing a blue armband dove forward to steal the ball, but Jounouchi spun out of his reach and passed the ball to a teammate closer to the net.

Kaiba hadn't played basketball since high school PE, but all the rules and details came rushing back to him in that moment. He soon lost himself in the drama of the ball flying from one hand into another until it landed in Jounouchi's possession again. This time, he didn't hesitate or wait, executing what Kaiba was sure was a picture-perfect jump shot from inside the three-point line. The ball danced around the rim for a heart-pounding second before falling in.

Jounouchi whooped—an action that he made no attempt to stifle in the gym, unlike at the range. "Two points! Just three more, and it's game point! You guys are going down!"

One of the players with the blue team jeered in return. "Shut up, Jounouchi, your trash talk's as terrible as your game."

"Then what's that say about your game, Honda?"

"Enough, you two!" interrupted another player, presumably the captain or another senior team member, standing on the sideline. "Everyone, back in your starting positions. Blue gets the ball next."

Both sides moved in a swarm to regroup. As Jounouchi passed Honda, he gave the boy a playful punch in the arm that was readily reciprocated. It was then that Kaiba realized that the player supervising the practice must have split the team onto opposing sides to play each other. A shrill whistle cut through the air, and they were off again in a flurry of noise and motion.

Basketball was the opposite of archery in almost every way. The sport was boisterous. Its players were loud and never seemed to stop moving. Pausing to catch your breath could create an opening for the other side to intercept. Even the spectators would scream and shout in triumph or defeat, depending on which team scored. Unlike kyudo, basketball fitted the true definition of a team sport. One player couldn't carry the entire team's success.

Kaiba could see why a friendly and outgoing person like Jounouchi was drawn to the sport. The blond appeared entirely within his element here.

True to his word, Jounouchi had returned to observe archery practice several times and mostly stayed quiet except for a few rare outbursts. He'd also kept his distance, for the most part, limiting himself to polite greetings when he arrived and good-byes when he left with Mutou. Otherwise, they hadn't been alone with each other since the first time they directly talked.

Out on the court, the ball passed between players and across sides. At some point, Jounouchi spotted him on the sideline and broke into a sunny grin that was visible from across the gym. He waved at Kaiba with both arms. To which, Kaiba responded by shaking his head and directing his attention back to the game in progress. 

If anything, Jounouchi's actions grew bolder after that exchange. He nearly bowled over someone on the blue team and earned his team a foul, much to his teammates' audible displeasure. Despite that, his bold plays eventually paid off as he intercepted a ball and immediately dashed toward his team's hoop, a hoard of other players stomping after him. He stopped right at the three-point line, though. 

No, he wouldn't. Jounouchi was clear to go all the way to the net without any opposition. Yet, he toed the three-point line and hefted his arms and the ball overhead, lining up for a three-point shot, and launched the ball down the center of the court. 

Kaiba's breath hitched as the ball soared through the air. Without touching the rim, the ball landed straight through the hoop, the white net swaying almost gently in its wake.

The red team broke out in rancorous cheering, before high-fiving and fist-bumping each other. Meanwhile, their opponents groaned in defeat.

"You see that! All net!" exclaimed Jounouchi.

The supervising player blew the whistle again, summoning both teams to assemble in front of him. "Okay, and that's game. Good work, everyone. Jounouchi, good shot, but you didn't need to take that risk from the three-point line. No one would have been able to stop you from making a layup in that situation."

"Go big or go home," responded Jounouchi with a cheeky shrug. "Am I right?"

Several teammates nodded in agreement, while the man he addressed sighed like this was an old argument between them. After a short debrief that Kaiba couldn't hear from his current position, the players disbanded. Some went to collect the balls littered around the gym while the rest presumably headed toward the locker room. And Jounouchi? The blond boy made a beeline to where Kaiba stood.

Kaiba adjusted his grip on his bow and leaned it against his shoulder while the bottom rested on the floor before him, drawing an unseen line that Jounouchi would hopefully respect. 

"Fancy seeing you here," joked Jounouchi as he approached. He came to a stop at a respectful distance away from Kaiba's bow. 

His grip tightened before he forced himself to relax lest he damaged his bow. "I was passing by."

For better or for worse, Jounouchi decided not to call him on his bluff. Instead, he pointed at the bow in Kaiba's hand and asked, "Were you practicing?"

He nodded, and the tension in his shoulders lessened by a margin. Kaiba was always most comfortable talking about either his studies or archery. Most people who tried to get close to him found him boring as a result. "There's a competition next month. The team needs to work on their focus before then."

"Cool, we have a game against Waseda next Sunday, so it's hustle time for us."

"Best of luck with that," replied Kaiba stiffly.

"Don't be like that. We're gonna kick ass. Did you see that last sick shot?" Jounouchi asked eagerly. He beamed at Kaiba as earnest as a child seeking approval. 

"That was—"

Exciting. Electrifying. Hair-raising.

"—impressive," Kaiba finally managed.

Jounouchi pinked at the compliment. He must not have expected a positive response. Then again, Kaiba wasn't sure why he'd said that even though it was true.

Dropping his gaze to the floor, Jounouchi became almost shy, much in the way he'd been when he first admitted to admiring Kaiba's shooting style. "It's going to be a home game, so it's happening here. It's, uh, open to all students, if you wanna come and check it out. Yuugi's coming, but it's always nice to have more friends and uh people to cheer us on." 

Kaiba should turn him down now. Or tell him he'd have to be crazy to trade the serenity of the shooting range for the cacophony of a packed gymnasium. Or, at the very least, do what he could to discourage the other boy's crush. It was a crush, wasn't it? Kaiba was no stranger to people praising his archery form and style, but something felt different about the way Jounouchi had phrased it—like he was smitten.

It was at that exact moment that Jounouchi did something that made Kaiba's insides squirm. 

Because there was another major difference between basketball and archery. Jounouchi was drenched in sweat, plastering his bangs flat over his forehead and dripping down the side of his face. Lifting his hem, Jounouchi wicked the sweat from his brow with the bottom of his jersey, exposing his toned abs at the same time. Kaiba tore his gaze away from the mouth-drying sight only to focus on Jounouchi's muscled biceps.

The sweat should repel him, but instead, it left him feeling dumbstruck.

"It's fine. Forget I said anything. I'm sure you're busy—" Jounouchi tripped over himself to retract the invitation.

"What time?" The question left his tongue before he could stop himself.

Jounouchi gaped at him. A flash of heat and discomfort crept under his collar. 

"If it doesn't conflict with practice," added Kaiba, desperately trying to salvage his dignity. 

"Uh, Yuugi said the schedule's clear on Sunday."

Internally, Kaiba cursed Mutou, then his own stupidity for forgetting that Mutou was on the archery team. 

"Eh, that's not important anyway. The game starts at two, but you'll wanna get here early if you want the good seats. Or have Yuugi save one for you." Again, Jounouchi flashed him an almost shy grin. 

Kaiba sighed. It seemed as if he'd already committed himself to attend. While he could still back out, he didn't want to. Not really. Jounouchi had been enjoyable to watch during practice, zigzagging and weaving through the throng of bodies. When he held the ball, he controlled it with absolute confidence. The subsequent touch of boldness as he risked a three-point shot had caused Kaiba's heart to beat that much faster. 

No, Kaiba looked forward to seeing Jounouchi in action in his more natural habitat.

"Your performance better not disappoint then," he said coolly. 

Jounouchi laughed and winked. "If you show, I'll make another three-point shot just for you."


End file.
